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METROMONDAY, 2 NOVEMBER, 2009. MUMBAIwww.mid-day.com5
‘MY SON IS GAY AND I’MPROUD TO BE HIS MOM’VARUN [email protected]
ON October 23, Tarun Gupta(name changed) gatheredcourage and told his mom asecret — he liked men. Eightdays later, Mrs Gupta and herson were among 130 partici-pants at the Gay BombayParents’ and relatives’ meet.
The meet organised atLiquid Lounge, Charni Road,which saw one of the largestgatherings of parents and rela-tives of homosexuals in thecity, went on for three hourslast afternoon. In fact, anotherfirst at the meeting was thevenue — a lounge bar — adeparture from the usualhouse meetings.
Not gossip anymore“Ever since the issue of Article377 came up, it has reacheddining rooms in the form of
news, not gossip. Everyonehas become more aware aboutthe issue. The rise in the fig-ures at the meeting today canbe credited to the media,” saidHarish Iyer, an event organis-er, who is openly gay.
There were few parentslike Mrs Gupta, who immedi-ately accepted their son’ssexual bend, but there were asmany, who first tried othermethods to mend their son’sgay ‘tendencies’. One suchparent Mrs Shah (namechanged) took her son to anastrologer, then to a sexologistand finally to a psychiatrist.
“The astrologer said my sonwould become straight by mid2006 and asked him to visit adevi temple every Thursday.The others told me I couldchange my son’s mindset.Finally, I realised nothingworked and accepted him theway he is,” she said.
Sobha Doshi’s son Shammittold her he was gay over thephone from Atlanta nearlythree years ago. “I caught thenext flight and went to meetmy son and his boyfriend. Itwas fine,” she beamed.
‘It’s not a crime’Doshi, a cancer survivor, meetsparents to make them realisethat being gay is not a crime ora hormonal disorder. “One justneeds to accept things. I couldfight my cancer because Iaccepted it and the same heldtrue for my son. I accepted himthe way he was and today we
are happy. I visit my son andstay with him and hisboyfriend in the US for as longas six months at a stretch.”
The only concern parentshave is of the future. “I wantmy son to be in a steady rela-tionship, so that he will have acompanion and can live hisdays happily,” said a mother.
Another parent added, “Iwant a partner for my son.And I would searchfor him the way Iwould for adaugh-
ter-in-law.” In a touchingmoment of reaffirmation, asister said she would onlymarry a guy who accepted hergay brother.
THE parents and the organis-ers have also decided to forma forum to support the causeof Section 377 by writing let-ters, which will be presentedto the Supreme Court. VirkamDcotor, founder of GayBombay and the organiser ofthe event, said, "Parents' unitywill certainly help the commu-nity and quite clearly, theoverwhelming response,brings us hope."
UP AHEAD...
THE Article 377 of the IndianPenal Code upheld that unnat-ural sex was a crime. However,on July 2, 2009 the Delhi HighCourt read down the article.This meant that consensualsex among adults was nolonger a crime. The lesbian,gay, bisexual and transgendercommunity celebrated the dayas their new IndependenceDay. However, nearly 14 religious and other fundamen-talist groups filed their petition against the verdictand the case is with SupremeCourt now.
ARTICLE 377
Did you know?Indian laws do not allow the adoption of a child by a gay or lesbian couple
In a unique meeting, homosexuals and their parentsshared confidences and charted the way ahead
CUP OF JOY: The gift for parentswho backed their kids at the GayBombay Parents’ meet yesterday.PIC/ATUL KAMBLE
TEEN NEIGHBOURRAPES 4-YR-OLD
KRANTI [email protected]
AN 18-year-old boy took advan-tage of an empty home lastnight and raped his four-and-half-year-old neighbour. Theboy, Bindu, a resident ofKherwadi in Bandra, lured BinaSharma (name changed to pro-tect identity) to his house underthe pretext of mopping up somespilled water on the floor.
The incident took place ataround 10 pm. Bindu was aloneat home, as his father, a waiter,was at work and his mother hadgone to Shirdi.
Shashi Sharma (namechanged), the victim’s fatherand a pani puri seller, said, “Iwas at my stall when my elderson came running andinformed me about the inci-dent. It’s very shocking torealise a neighbourhood boycould do something so mon-strous to my daughter.”
Describe the incident,Sharma added, “My daughtercame crying to her mother. Shehad blood all over her clothes.Even her ears were bleeding.
Her condition was so bad thatmy wife started crying. Werushed her to V N Desai munic-ipal hospital in Santacruz.”
Bina has suffered severeinjuries. She’ll be operatedupon today.
Shocked at the incident, oneneighbour, said, “ThoughBindu was very mischievous,we never expected that hewould do such a thing.”
A case of threatening andrape has been registered
against Bindu at the NehruNagar police station. An on-duty official from the policestation told MiD DAY, “As thegirl is in a state of shock, wehave taken her mother’s state-ment. We are searching forBindu, who fled after commit-ting the crime.”
Bindu’s father too remainedunreachable.
He added that they’d takethe victim’s statement as soonas her condition improved.
BROKEN: Shashi Sharma waits outside V N Desai municipal hospital,Santacuz, at 2.30 am with his youngest daughter (not the victim).PIC/SAYED SAMEER ABEDI
MORNINGLATEST
Brutalised girl needs surgery; alleged rapist is absconding
